Senior Spotlight: #0 Savanna Wojtanowski

Reaching For Her Goals

Oct. 24, 2017

By Kristi Simmons, MSU Athletic Communications Student Assistant

EAST LANSING, Mich. - For most, the transition to college is a difficult process. It takes time to become used to your new surroundings, but soon it becomes a home away from home. Imagine the difficulty of uprooting your life a second time, just two years later. That only begins to scratch the surface for redshirt senior goalkeeper Savanna Wojtanowski, who transferred to Michigan State after two seasons as a Ferris State University Bulldog.

Originally, Wojtanowski went to Ferris State with hopes of pursuing a degree in their pharmaceutical program, but later realized that her passion was with business, not pharmacy. Wojtanowski began looking for schools with promising athletics and a solid business program, and in the process falling in love with a team on the banks of the Red Cedar.

"Michigan State has a fantastic business school," Wojtanowski explained. "When I did decide to begin the process again, my first look was at Michigan State."

Just six weeks after she arrived in East Lansing, Wojtanowski was met with yet another challenge. The Traverse City, Michigan, native suffered a torn ACL which forced her to redshirt her junior year while she recovered.

Wojtanowski couldn't have gotten past the injury without the help and support of her parents, who supported her through every game and obstacle along the way since she began playing at four years old.

"Even if you go through something so traumatic, just realize that if you really want something and put your mind to it, you're going to get there," Savanna said. She proved this to be true when bouncing back after her injury to an impressive junior and senior year.

During her first season in action for the Spartans in 2016, Wojtanowski earned the start in nine games. She finished the season with 68 stops for a save percentage of .819, making a statement of success in goal.

Savanna said the best advice Coach Tom Saxton has given her is, "to show up every day and work hard because you never know when you're going to be called upon." This advice came directly into play when she tied the single-game record with 14 saves in a 3-1 upset against No. 16 Penn State at home on October 22, 2016.

Reflecting on her career highlight, Wojtanowski said, "Honestly, it was a team win. You can count the back line and everybody else in front of me because they did their jobs as well. It would have been a different game if it weren't for them."

Though she has only been with them for two seasons, Wojtanowski says her teammates are like family and she hopes to be remembered as always giving them everything she could on and off the field.

After graduation, she plans to enter the NWSL draft. She has spent the past two summers training with the Washington Spirit's full squad and staying on the roster for the reserves team. No matter what happens, Wojtanowski has certainly embraced the will of a Spartan and will continue to do so on her journey in the future.